Illusion apparatus



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N0. 530,128.- Patented Deo. 4, 1894.

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j P. ROSENZWEY.

' ILLUsIoN APPARATUS.

Patented Deo. 4, 1894.

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i UNITED ASTATES PATENT OFFICE.

PAUL RosENzwEY, vor rinLADELPi-uA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ILLUSION APPARATUS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 530,12, dated'December4, 1894.

Application filed September 1, 1894. Serial No. 521,923. (No model.)

To @ZZ whom, i5 may concern,.-

Beit known that L'PAUL RosENzwEY, a citizen of the'United States,residing at the city of Philadelphia,- in the county of Philadelphia andState of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvementsin Illusion Apparatus, of which the following is a specification. i

My invention relates to an apparatus adapted to produce illusions; andit relates more' pliance; and, third, to provide such an appa ratus andits accessories fork elevating and lowering the'same with movablescenery adapted to-establish and make the ascent within a building orstructure specially arrangedtherefor, as faras possible realistic.

My invention'stated in general terms, co mvprises an illusory apparatusconstructed and arranged in substantially the manner hereinafterdescribed and claimed.

The nature and general features of my in vention, will. be more fullyunderstood from the following description taken in connection with theaccompanying drawings, forming part hereof, andin which- Figure l, is avertical section through a building provided with a well or circularinternal compartment,showing the balloon suspended therein and theactuating means therefor, also the movable platforms leading to theentrance and exits of the structure, the movable scenery, motive powerand mechanism controlled thereby, for permitting of the travel thereofand raising and lowering of the same. Fig. 2, is a transverse section ofthe structure with the illusory appliance of my invention, shown inapplication therein; and Fig. 3, is a perspective view of the movablesceneryor canvas and its actuatingmechanism, controlled by motive powersuch as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Referring to the drawings A, is the structure in the form of ahippodrome or circular building .with a well a, and with a dome a', inthe top thereof.

a2 and a3, are openings in the sides or surfaces of the building facedwith stud-pieces to receive movable platforms a4 and a5, provided withstraining pieces or struts aand a7, and raised and lowered by means ofchains or cords as and a9, passing over pulleys 0,10 and 0,11, pivotallysecured into the building in the manner clearly shown in Fig. 1, andengaging at their lower looped ends with shafts to be presentlyexplained.

A and A2, are entrance and exit pavilions located adjacent to andcommunicating with the openings a2 and a3, in the walls of the buildingA. The interior wall of the building is provided with canvas suitablypainted to represent the desired illusory effects in connection with aballoon ascension and so as to make the illusion as far as possiblecomplete.

B, is the balloon provided with a basket b, which is supported therefrom`in the usual manner.

b', is an eye secured toy vthe upper end of the balloon and detachablyengaged by the hook b2, of a block and tackle mechanism B', hooked tothe dome a', and having a rope Yor chain b3, leading therefrom over apulley b4, and winding onto a grooved pulley b5, mounted on the maindriving shaft c, which is actuated by a reversible steam engine C, inthe manner clearly illustrated in Figs. l and 2.'

The movable platforms a4 and a5, when in their normal position, as shownin dotted lines in Fig. 1, and the balloon B, is in a lowered position,the basket o, thereof closes the space between the two platforms so asto enable the occupants of the basket to alight and pass to the exitpavilion A2, and of those waiting to make an ascension to enterY throughthe opposite pavilion A', and by the platform wall of the building onboth sides to the respective pavilions Will have been closed by themovable platform at and c5, rising and seating automatically therein, bymeans to be hereinafter fully explained.

In the lower portion of the well of the building is located arectangular-shaped framework C', consisting of base-strips 014 and 015,having inclined braces c2 and c3, secured thereto and supporting orstrengthening uprights or supports c4, c5, c, and c7, as clearlyillustrated in Fig. 3. The uprights or supports are each provided withchanneled ways 0B and o9, and in the inner sides of the series ofuprights or supports are provided grooves C10 and c, for purposes to bepresently described.

D and D', are end rolls journaled to brackets d and d', in slidingengagement with the channeled ways c8 andcg, of the series of uprightsor supports c, c5, c6 and o7. These brackets are provided with verticalinternally threaded tubular bearings d2 and d3.

D2 and DE, are rollers having the end journals thereof frictionallyengaging the grooves c10 and c, of the series of uprights or sup portsof the frame-work. Mounted on one of the journals of the upper roll D',is apulley d4, engaged by a belt (Z5, which passes around a pulley cl2,secured to the main driving shaft c, of the engine C.

d6 and (Z7, is a series of vertical threaded rods or stems engaging thetubular threaded bearings d2 and cl?, and at their lower ends supportedin socketed bearings (ZB and C19, which are secured to the uprights orsupports c, c5, e6 and c7, and at their opposite ends provided withmiter-gear wheels d10 and du. These wheels mesh with complementalmitergear wheels d and d, which are keyed or otherwise secured tocross-shafts d and d, journaled to the tops of the said series ofuprights or supports and on one of the ends of both of said shafts areprovided pulleys dw and d1", engaged by belts d and d1, which latterengage also a pulley c, rigidly secured to the main driving shaft c,whereby in the rotation of said driving shaft by means of the reversibleengine C or other suitable motive power, motion is imparted to theseries of pulleys and belts for permitting of the actuation of saidmiter-gear mechanism to rotate the series of vertical threaded rods orstems da and di, to not only by frictional contact of the rollers D, D',D2 and D3, with the painted canvas D4, cause the latter to travel butalso the bearings d2 and (Z3, to move up and down on said stems or rodsand therewith said scenery D4. With the rise of the scenery D4, theballoon in the manner above explained will be lowered and the belt d5,connected with the pulley d, and pulley cl2, of the main driving shaft,will slacken and thus enable the block and tackle mechanism B', tooperate so as to permit the basket b, of the balloon B, to assume theposition indicated in dotted lines in Fig. l, to permit of the dischargeof the passengers therefrom and for enabling others to enter for anotherascension of the balloon.

The movable canvas D", it will be understood is to be painted to givethe desired effects looking onto thesame from the elevated position ofthe balloon and the painted stationary canvas of the well and about thedome of the structure on the interior thereof will be painted torepresent sky or other effects so as to make the spectacle not onlyrealistic but also to enliven the illusory sport and in order to makethe same still more complete electric lights may be employed torepresent the stars, moon and other bodies disposed behind or insuitable connection with the painted canvas of the structure.

The operation of the apparatus of my invention, is as followsMotion isimparted to the main driving shaft c, by means of the reversible engineC, which communicates motion to the belt and pulley connections andruiter-gear mechanism hereinabove described, so that when the movableplatforms a4 and a5, are in the position illustrated in dotted lines inFig. 1, and the basket b, of the balloon B, has cleared the space A5,between them, the balloon will be caused to occupy an elevated positionat the top in the dome a', of the structure by the winding of the chainor cord h3, connected with block and tackle mechanism B', onto thegrooved pulley b5, of the main driving shaft c, and at the same time themovable platforms at and a5, will be caused to assume by rising, aposition in the openings a and a7, of the structure and the travelingscenery D4, will assume a lowered position in the well a, as indicatedin full lines in Fig. l, by means of the ruiter-gears rotating theseries of threaded stems or rods, thereby causing the bearings of theseries of brackets to travel downward in the channeled ways of theseries of uprights or supports c4, c5, c6 and c7, as clearly illustratedin Fig. l.

It will be manifestly obvious, that as to minor details, modificationsmay be made without departing from the spirit of my in' vention,` andhence I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to the precisearrangements of the members of the actuating mechanisms of the balloonas hereinbefore explained; but

I-Iaving thus described the nature and ob.

jects of my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure byLetters Patent, is

1. An illusion apparatus, comprising a structure having a well orchamber, openings for exit and entrance, a balloon and its ac cessores,movable platforms adapted to engage said openings, movable scenery,motive power and mechanism controlled thereby for actuating saidplatforms, sceneryand balloon, substantially as and for the purposes setforth.

2. An illusion apparatus, comprising a structure provided with a well orchamber, having movable platforms adapted to close IOC IIO

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scones 's openings in the-wall of said structure, a balloon and blockand tackle mechanism, scenery movable in several directions, an engineand means for controlling said balloon, scenery\and platforms,substantially as and for the purposes set forth. v

3. An illusion apparatus, comprising a structure provided with a wellhaving platforms adapted to close openings in the wall thereof, entranceand exit pavilions communieating with said openings, a balloon providedwith a basket, means adapted to elevate and lower said balloon, sceneryand mechanism for controlling said platforms`and scenery, substantiallyas and for the purposes set forth.

4. A11 illusion apparatus, comprising a structure provided with a we llhavingpainted stationary and movable scenery therein, movable platformsadapted to close the openings leading to entrance and exit pavilions, aballoon with a basket, mechanism for raising and lowering certain ofsaid scenery with the raising and lowering of said balloon,substantiially as and for the purposesset forth.

e. An illusion apparatus, comprising a structure provided with aninternal chamber or well having a balloon suspended therein, canvasadapted to be raised and lowered and moved transversely of said well,motive power and means for controlling said balloon andl scenery,substantially as and for the purposes set forth.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto set my signature in the presence oftwo subscribing witnesses.

f PAUL ROSENZWEY. A Witnesses:

GEo. W. REED, RICHARD C. MAXWELL.

